Michael Vaughan calls for return of cricket’s Hong Kong Sixes, says England’s Harry Brook is ready for World Cup
- Former England captain Vaughan says current skipper Ben Stokes is country’s greatest all-round cricketer
- Cricket is expected to be added to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, and Vaughan thinks ‘cricket has never been more popular than today’
Michael Vaughan said he “would love” a return for the Hong Kong Cricket Sixes, as part of an effort to “spread the game all over the world”.
One of England’s greatest Test captains, Vaughan paid his first visit to Kowloon Cricket Club (KCC) for a youth training session on Friday.
Despite being a staple in the calendar for more than a decade in the early 2000s, the Hong Kong Sixes has been staged only once since 2012. Cricket is expected to be added to the Olympic programme for the 2028 Los Angeles Games, while the US and West Indies will jointly-host the 2024 T20 World Cup.
In April, KCC hosted scores of leading women’s players for the FairBreak Invitational T20 competition.
“Cricket needs to – and it tries its best – to spread the game all over the world,” Vaughan told the Post.
“Hong Kong is a great city, and it would be brilliant if we can get the sixes back here, I would love it.
“It wouldn’t necessarily be the first teams from all the major countries, but in England we have loads of quality white-ball cricketers – it wouldn’t take too many phone calls to put together a very good team.
“There are so many young girls and boys playing the game in Hong Kong, I have seen some real talent here, and this is the most amazing setting.”
Vaughan was appointed England 50-over captain months before succeeding Nasser Hussain as Test skipper in 2003. The intervening 20 years have witnessed a transformation of the one-day game, epitomised by current England Test captain Ben Stokes, who underlined his 50-over return following retirement last year with a firecracker national-record-breaking innings of 182 against New Zealand this week.
“I think Ben Stokes is England’s greatest all-round cricketer,” Vaughan said. “People say he doesn’t bowl much, but I mean in terms of what he’s delivered as a cricketer. Two of the greatest Test innings we’ve seen, he’s won England two World Cup finals.
“He’s revolutionised Test cricket with the way he’s captained, in the space of 18 months he has the whole world talking about England and their Bazball approach.
“He has an aura about him, which isn’t necessarily about the numbers of runs or wickets he delivers.
“Unfortunately, someone misses out [because of Stokes reversing retirement] but it is high-level sport. I’d love him to be bowling but he is a match winner and a World Cup winner and you want those in the team.”
Defending champions England are expected to confirm a 15-man squad for next month’s World Cup in India before Wednesday’s ODI against Ireland. Intrigue surrounds the potential inclusions of gifted batsman Harry Brook – who was omitted from the provisional party – and Jason Roy, the opening batter who has been plagued by form and fitness issues.
“Harry Brook has to go, he is too good and too versatile to leave out,” Vaughan said. “If they pick him over anybody, he will be a world-class performer.
“Jason Roy needs to be fit. He hasn’t played in the [ongoing] New Zealand series and must find out about his body [before selection].”
Hong Kong will attempt to qualify for next year’s T20 World Cup at the Asian qualification tournament in Nepal, beginning on October 30.
“In T20, you need only three players to have special days out and you can beat anyone,” Vaughan said. “It is where associate nations can compete and gain global visibility.
“There are so many formats and different audiences. Cricket getting into the Olympics is crucial for growing the game. We have the T20 World Cup and Major League Cricket [launched this year] in the States. I genuinely feel cricket has never been more popular than today.
“If we can capture the interest of China and America, then cricket will be in a very decent spot.”
